Wire-fastener.



Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. WAT-TERS, OF GLENMORE, YORK.

WIRE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,855, dated August 16, 1904. Application filed May 26, 1904. Serial No. 209,946. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. WATTERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Glenmore, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wire-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to means for securing wires in place; and the particular adaptation of my invention shown in the drawings and described in this specification is that of securing fence-wires in place.

One object of my invention is to provide a wire-fastener which shall be simple and cheap in construction and eflicient in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a wire-fastener by means of which the tension on the wire may be readily varied, as desired, and the wire wholly relieved from tension n situ on the fence-posts, thereby preventing breakage of the wires during seasons when loaded with snow and also permitting the tautening and slackening of the wires without removal of the fastening means.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my new wire-fastener. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, and Fig. L is a side elevation thereof.

My new wire-fastener is provided with ears f, formed with holes for the passage of the securing means, as bolts, screws, nails, rivets, and the like. The inner opposing ends of these ears are bent sharply outwardly to the front to form a loop a I), the sides of the loop forming the walls of a narrow slot adapted to receive a thin Hat key e, having one side tapering from top to bottom and provided at its upper edge with-a projection c, adapted to prevent the key from slipping through the slot, and at its lower end with an incline d. Midway of the loop is formed a recess adapted to receive the fence-wire, which is securely held between the tapering side of the key and the bottom of said recess. `Then it is desired to vary the tension on the wire, the key is loosened by simply tapping on its lower end or prying up under the projection c. The wire being held between the thin edge of the key and the bottom of the recess, as shown, there is no tendency to kink the wire.-

What I claim is- The herein-described wire fastener comprising a supporting member formed with ears at its'V ends for fastening purposes and a loop which is cut away at its central portion to form a recess for the reception of the wire and the side walls of which are bent at substantially right angles to said ears and lie parallel and close to each other with a narrow slot between them for the reception of a thin Hat tapering key; -and said thin flattapering key adapted to engage in said slot with a sliding fit and to hold the wire between the bottom of said recess and its tapering side.

In testimony whereof` I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. JAMES E. IATTERS. Witnesses:

WM. H. WILLsoN, O. C. BATES. 

